Supporting truck for canal lining equipment



April 24, 1951 R. ZIMMERMAN 2,549,953

SUPPORTING TRUCK FOR CANAL LINING EQUIPMENT Filed Jan. 17, 1947 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR L. B. @mmerman Q i m ATTORNEYS April 1951 I R. ZIMMERMAN Q 2,549,953

I SUPPORTING TRUCK FOR CANAL LINING EQUIPMENT Filed Jan. 17, 1947 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Q I 7 D I q INVENTOR L.R. erman ll ATTORNEYS April- 24, 1951 L. R. ZIMMERMAN SUPPORTING TRUCK FOR CANAL LINING EQUIPMENT 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Jan. 17, 1947 1 n u .m W

Ill v \\\x INVENTOR L. erman ATTORNEYS Patented Apr. 24, 1951 Umrsp PATENT ornce SUPPORTING TRUCK FOR CANAL LININ G EQUIPMENT Leonard R. Zimmerman, Stockton, 'Galii., as-

signor to Gunter't and Zimmerman, Stockton, Ca;lif.,:a partnership consisting of Leonard .R. Zimmerman :and Ronald M.-G.unter.t

Application ilanuary17, 1947, Serial No. 722,571

equipment is used to form the sub-grade in the canal. The other is used to lay thecement lining on the bottom and sides of the canal, and

a third is used to finish the cement.

In all three typeso'f machines it is necessary that a very heavy rigid framework "be used which extends across from the banks of thecanal and into the depth of "the canal. It is essential that these machinesb'e held in a very positivelyfixed position in order that the proper sub-grading, laying the cement to a proper thickness and then properly finishing the same, can be carried out with exact .nicety.

The frames of the machines, therefore, not only extend down into the cross sectional area thereof to a point close to the bottom and side surfaces thereof, but also are of considerable length.

It has become customary to support the sides of the frames which overlap the banks of the canal on tracks, there being appropriate rollers on the frames for ridingthe tracks.

Heretofore it has been customary to "simply mount the rollers "on 'the rigid side frames of the equipment, and due to the length and width of the frames and the weight thereof, it has been a very difficult matter to properly steer the frames about curves and undulations in the length of the canal and at the same time maintain the equipment in proper relation to the bottom and sides of the canal for carrying on the various operations in lining the same.

It is the main object of the present invention to provide an independent supporting and steering bolster for each side of the equipment main frame, such bolsters in turn being mounted to travel the tracks of the canal banks and to have such relative steering means with respect to both the main frame of the equipment and the tracks as to allow the equipment to be easily steered along the length of the canal without in any way disturbing the proper relative position of such main frame with respect to the cross secr tional contour of the canal.

A further object of the invention is to produce a practical device and one which will be exceedingly eiiective for the purpose for which it is designed.

These objects are accomplished by means of such structure and relative arrangement of parts as will fully appear by a perusal of the following specification and claim.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a transverse section through 'a canal showing the rails along the top banks thereof and with the equipment frameprojecting into and across the canal and being supported at its opposite sideson the bolster structure.

Figure '2 is a'fragmentary view of one of the bolsters as it appears mounted upon the track on the top of the canal bank and being partly broken "out and in section atits centerin order to show the method of supporting the equipment frame on such bolster.

Figure 3 is a fragmentary plan 'view of the central portion of the bolster showing its pivotal connection with the equipment frame and showing the supporting anti-friction :rollers on the bolster which supports the main frame.

Figure 4 is a sectional view taken on a line 4 l of Figure 2 and showing the means for vertical adjustment of the ends of the bolster.

Figure 5 isa top plan View of the adjustment cylinder shown in Fig. 4.

Referring now more particularly to the characters of reference on the drawings, the numeral I designates the main frame of the equipment to be supported in the canal 2. In Fig. 1 of the drawings this is shown diagrammatically to indicate "the frame of the sub-grader used'in preparing the bottom and side walls of the canal for the reception of the concrete lining, but, as already stated, the bolster structure hereafter described may be mounted on the main frame of any one of the different types of equipment to be used and is of general application with respect thereto.

The numeral 3 designates the specially laid rails mounted along the length of the tops of the banks of the canal 2 and on which the equipment is to be supported for travel along the length of the canal as the work progresses. At each side of the frame I is a bolster beam 4 and welded, or otherwise secured. to each end of the beam 4 is a cylinder 5 in which is mounted for sliding action an inverted hollow cylinder 6, which latter cylinder projects for a short distance below the lower end of the cylinder 5. Fixed to the bottom of the cylinder 6 is a wheel truck frame I which includes a pair of double flanged wheels 8 which ride one of the rails 3. The inverted cylinder 6 is threaded, as at 9,

3 on its outer surface, and at the point where such cylinder projects below the cylinder 5 there is threaded upon the threads 9 a nut I which normally bears against the bottom of the cylinder and the adjacent portion of the bolster 4 as shown quite clearly in Fig. 4.

The numeral I I designates a closed cylinder which is removably supported in a depending position from the top end of the cylinder 5 by means of bolts I2. The connection between the top of the cylinders 5 and II is of the bayonet type to permit of ready insertion or removal of the cylinder I I for the purposes of inspection or repair.

The cylinder II cylinder 6. Within this cylinder II is a piston I3 having a piston rod I4 which projects out through the bottom of such cylinder I I. A cross bar I5 is rigidly welded or otherwise secured in the cylinder 6 adjacent its lower end and the outer end of the piston rod I4 engages this cross bar I5. Hydraulic pressure is admitted to the cylinder I I through the means of a conduit pipe I6 leading from a suitable source of controlled fluid pressure supply.

It will thus be seen that the vertical position of the ends of the bolster 4 may be nicely adjusted through the medium of fluid pressure admitted against the piston I3 and that any adjusted position of the parts may be held by fixing the nut Ill against the lower end of the cylinder 5 and the adjacent end of bolster 4. When thus set, the fluid pressure may be released from the cylinder I I. It will also be noted that the wheel carrying frame I may turn relatively to the bolster through the medium of the cylinder 6 and nut'IIJ which support the bolster 4 and are turnable relative thereto.

Fixed centrally of each bolster 4 is I! and on the top surface of the bolster and to each side of this king pin I1 is a set of supporting anti-friction rollers I8.

The main frame I, at each side thereof, includes a rigid beam IS on the underside of which are small track bars 20 which ride the rollers I8, such beam I9 being pivotally mounted centrally of its ends upon the king pin I'I. It will thus be seen that the main frame I is supported only upon the two bolsters 4; that the bolsters 4 have turnable movement relative to the main frame I through the medium of the king pin I1 and that the wheel frames 1 are turnable relative to the free ends of the bolsters 4. There is thus a flexible turnin movement which will allow the entire structure to easily turn about the diii'erent curves of the a king pin projects into the inverted canal 2 without in any way materially disturbing the relative position of the main frame with respect to the canal bottom and sides on which the work is being performed.

Furthermore, through the adjustments at the ends of the bolsters 4 shown in Fig. 4, and particularly described above, the relative height of the main frame I with respect to the bottom and sides of the ditch may be easily and nicely adjusted without in any manner disturbing the steerability of the equipment as a whole.

From the foregoing description it will be readily seen that there has been produced such a device as substantially fulfills the objects of the invention as set forth herein.

While this specification sets forth in detail the present and preferred construction of the device, still in practice such deviations from such detail may be resorted to as do not form a departure from the spirit of the invention, as defined by the appended claim.

Having thus described the invention, the following is claimed as new and useful and upon which Letters Patent is desired:

In a canal lining equipment which includes a rigid main frame adapted to straddle the canal and a track comprising a rail extendin along .each bank of the canal; a supporting structure for the frame comprising a pair of bolster beams extending lengthwise of and above the rails, vertical king pins connectin the main frame and bolsters substantially centrally of the ends of the latter, wheel trucks at the ends of the bolsters each including a pair of flanged wheels engaging the corresponding rail, and vertical king pins connecting the trucks and bolsters.

LEONARD R. ZIMMERMAN.

REFERENCES I CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Date 

